Well-designed basements

Not so long ago a "finished basement" meant a bit of old living-room furniture, a TV perched on any old table, and walls covered with plywood…. In fact, for many years, the basement was ignored – it was where we deposited the things we didn’t know what to do with, and where odd pieces of furniture accumulated over time. Decoration and comfort were not seen as particularly important and the idea of a basement being a functional room was never considered.

Today, it’s a different story – basements have become part of our living space in their own right. As much thought goes into their decoration as in other parts of the house; they offer extra storage space and can be turned into useful, pleasant rooms, often designed with a special purpose in mind, where all the family can get together. Gone are the days of dark, damp basements; the new basement is here! Comfort is what matters now; the emphasis is on harmony and concentrating on those details that make a difference. What’s more, finishing the basement is a good investment. It’ll add to the value of your home as well as giving you many more square feet of living space.
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Good planning – the secret to success
Consider the space from all angles
Choosing floor and wall coverings
A style for each space
Let there be light!
Specialized rooms
Deco tips

Good planning – the secret to success

Proper planning, with short-, medium- and long-term needs in mind, is essential before starting renovation or building work of any kind. What are your present needs? What will you need in 5 or 10 years time? For the next two or three years, your teenagers might appreciate the privacy and space of a basement room, but how are you going to use that space once they’ve decided to leave the nest?

Basements also have structural constraints which you’ll have to incorporate or find a way around. There are probably low ceilings or smaller windows, temperatures can be a few degrees lower, pipes or technical equipment may be visible. You need to be aware of these constraints before starting work. If, for example, you find there is any dampness, you must take steps to eliminate it by means of good aeration and heating. There’s no escaping the fact that it must be dealt with sooner or later; it would be a great pity to take major corrective measures once your renovations are complete and to end up having to redo part of the work. Be in charge of your project every step of the way rather than working by trial and error.

It’s also at the planning stage that you should be thinking about extra storage and about how you could fit out the basement to best organize the space. Later on, you’ll congratulate yourself for having done this beforehand.


Certainly, you will be able to carry out a large part of the work yourself – wall coverings, ceilings, floors, painting and decoration. But be wary of overestimating your handyman abilities and think carefully about how much time you are able to devote to finishing the basement, given your other demands. Save plumbing and electrical work for qualified professionals.

Once you’ve analyzed your needs and decided how you are going to use the basement, the next step is to draw a plan and determine the extent of the work that needs to be done, taking into account the budget you have at your disposal. To avoid disappointment, it may be wise, for example, to split the project into stages and do one room at a time.

Consider the space from all angles

As you draw up the plan for the basement and designate specific areas, stick to the goal of creating a warm, welcoming space and make every square foot count. Certain decisions have to be made at this point to ensure you fulfill your family’s needs according to everyone’s respective activities.

The current trend is towards "hiving", a new lifestyle characterized, among other things, by a desire to keep in contact with others and also with the world at large, within the comfort of home. Room divisions disappear to allow the occupants to go about their business while living in a communal space. Rooms therefore become multi-functional: for example, home theatres can now be situated near laundry rooms thanks to the new high-performance, ultra quiet washing machines.

Warmth, comfort and pleasure – these are the key words that should be guiding your decisions. Spending time in the basement is a more tempting idea if you manage to create a pleasing, inspiring atmosphere. To do this, think hard about the entrance to the main room. A wide doorway, which leads the eye to an interesting architectural feature, such as a beautifully decorated fireplace, an arrangement of paintings or pictures, or a mirror, will be magnificent.

Make use of arches and columns: they create psychological divisions, marking out specific areas and enhancing the style of decor. Space in basements is often limited, and they can also be dark, so think big – go for open spaces. This lets natural light filter into the whole area creating an impression of spaciousness.

If the rooms are designed for activities that require quiet and concentration – home offices or libraries, for example – then you could opt for doors that let the light through, such as sliding doors or French-style doors inset with frosted or plain glass. These offer a good compromise between needing to be closed off but being able to enjoy better light. After all, no one ever said studying and working had to be gloomy!

Finishing the basement is a great opportunity to acquire a proper, purpose-built laundry room for your own needs, or to add a cozy, relaxing bathroom. Think about placing these next to the water heater and plumbing. It will save considerably on the plumber’s bill. And if you feel like making life a little easier, you could think about installing a laundry chute from upstairs down into the basement.
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